Liquid filling apparatus



pl'il 10, 1945. v J, TORIGIAN I 2,373,435

LIQUID FILLING APPARATUS l 99 i A .1N 22 2 April 10, 1945 J. ToRlGlAN 2,373,435

LIQUID FILLING APPARATUS Filed May 22, 1941' 2 sheets-sheet 2 E 6+ lin @IIIIL 57 l .lum

. JNVENTOR.

` @AL m I @#@Q Patented Apr. 10, 1945 UNITED .STATES lNI'l-Il'fl"A DFFICE moon) mums Jann'rorigian, NewYork, N. Y. .Application .May .22., 1941, Serial :'Nn. 394,372

2 Claims.

T his invention .relates generally to r:packing devlces and more particularly-to :liquid .filling apparatus especially adapted for 'the elimination oi difficulties encountered -i-n :the Yoperation [of .'lling ampoules, vials and other small containers.

Among the objects -of the presen-t invention lies the provision of apparatus of the class described, which is Aespecially suitable Yfor use the VA.pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries wherein relatively small ampoules, vials and similar `diminutive containers must be .accurately and quickly lled and wherein the exact amount of material which will loe deposited .in the ycontainei` may be positively predetermined and conveniently changed. q

Another object herein'lies inthe provision .of liquid `filling apparatus which is :of such construction lthat the `same .may be maintained 'in a sanitary sterile condition, the .apparatus being capable of .subjection to the requisite heat and pressure without deleterious effects.

Filling machines `constructed in accordance with .the -ypresent invention .are :suitable for handling .many .types of liquids, such as injectable solutions, serums, vaccines, eye drops, nasal drops or inhalants, via-l perfumes, tincture of iodine, .mercurochrome solution .and many other liquids possessing a medium viscosity.

.Another object herein .lies in the provision of a uid `:lilling machine which is .gravity operated under manual or .pedal control permitting a complete elimination of electric Wiring, motors and articilical vacuum. or pressure.

In .accordance with the present construction devices may be fabricated which are light'in weight and portable and require only a few square feet of table space without any operation. 'Ihe construction also permits of the use of materials which are not eiiected by the iluids handled by the machine.

Another object herein lies in the provision of a device of the class described in which the apparatus is replaceable and interchangeable and is readily dismantled and reassembled in a short time for the purpose of cleaning, adjusting or repairing the apparatus.

In accordance with the present construction by the use of a relatively small number of measuring chambers, a comparatively large range of 'size containers may be lled.

By reason of the novel construction of the present device, a considerable number of transparent parts are util-ized so that the transfer of the liquid is visible vat many points during the entire operation.

In accordance with the present invention, adjustment of the device requires only -a few minutes without loss of material at the beginning, during or near vthe end of the filling operation.

l The present device may be utilized in conjunction 'with any suitable reservoir vfor the liquid ,and the operator thereof need have no special slilll or training.

By reason of the improved construction of the present :dev-icathe shut off or flow is accomi plislied .a positive manner :so 'that drops are not deposited on the inside of necks Yci ampoules, thereby interfering with lproper sealing .or produ'cing :carboniza'tion y These objects and A'other :incidental ends land advantages will Amore fully rappear in the progross-oi` this disclosure fand .be pointed out in 'the appended claims. v

In the drawings, forming a material part hereof, :similar reference characters :designating acorresponding parts throughout the several views in which Figure 1 is a .iront elevational view of the rdevic'e `rrlounted upon :a supportingv surface.

Figure '2 fis an enlarged rragme'ntary front elevational view partly .in section showing detail the valving mechanism. In this figure the valve .is in rthe measuring chamber lling position.

*Figure 3 is a fragmentary enlarged `vertical sectional view of the measuring chamber :as

might lbe seen from 'the plane 3' on FigureA '4.

.Eig-ure 4 is `a iside elevational viewer Figure `l as seen from the .right :side thereof;

Figure f5 is la view taken similarly to Figure 2' showing the valvinig mechanism in the ampoule filling position thereof.

'In accordance with 'the invention, vthe liquid apparatus generally indicated by numeral l comprises generally a reservoir I I; a frame l2; a reservoir condut 13; "a measuring 'chamber Hl; fa measuring chamber conduit l5.; a valving mechanism I6.; a measuring chamber control l1; a 'valving mechanism control 18; and a valving mechanism controlregulator 1.9.

The frame l2 [includes a lframe base 22, .a lower pole portion .23, and anupper Apole ,portion L24. yThe pole portions 23 and 24 are detachably interengageable at -26 in any well known manner as, for example, .by means of a male threaded connection. The purpose of this detachable :interengagement of the upper and lower pole portions .is to provide greater portabilityA so that the device may be simply dismantled .for transportation. The uappara-tus lll may be placed upon any suitable 'surface `and as illustrated in the drawings, the numeral 2l designates a table top or other supporting surface'to which the foot 2,0 -of the frame base22 .is suitably secured by means of screws -5l. The lower end 52 of the lower pole portion 23 is threadedly engageable in the enlargement 54 of the frame base 2-2 yand is provided with an orice `53. Thus, the frame base 2.2 'supports the pole vportions control |1 is threadedly engaged.

23 and 24 as a unit in fixed relationship to the supporting surface 2| perpendicularly thereto.

'Ihe reservoir II may be of any desired construction but is preferably a container made of glass provided with a, filling` port 55, a closure for said port58, a neck 51, an outlet 58 and an outlet valve 59. The reservoir Il is adjustably maintained in position with relation to the rest of the device by means of the reservoir support clamp 60. The clamp 6U is an articulatable unit including the pole engaging member 6|, the link 62 and the reservoir neck engaging member 63. and 68 a universal type of connection isprovided between the reservoir |I and the pole 24 so that the reservoir may be adjusted to any desired position.

The reservoir Il, while previously described as .being preferably constructed of glass, may, of course, be composed of any suitable material. Glass is a desirable material because being transparent the amount of liquid in the reservoir may be readily determined and the condition of the liquid in the reservoir may also be examined. Furthermore, being made of glass, the reservoir may be sterilized. The valve 59 is preferably of a comb type having a glass valving member (not shown) which has a ground t in its seat.

The measuring chamber I4 is preferably composed of 'glass having a large central bore 61, a small bore 68, `a neck 68 and an enlarged portion 18. The measuring chamber I4 is provided with a piston 1|, the external diameter of which -is substantially equal to or slightly less than der 12 disposed between the bores 61 and 88;

and said piston is limited in the upper extent of its travel by abutting the lower end of the measuring chamber control |1. The neck 69 by virtue of the bore 68 therein forms an inlet or outlet to the bore B1 of the measuring chamber I4. The measuring chamber I4 is supported in position with relation to the pole portions 23 and 24 by means of a measuring chamber supporting clamp 13. The clamp 'I3 includes a.` pole engaging portion 14 which is actuated by the wing nut 15 and at the other end thereof is provided with an enlargement 16 provided with a vertically disposed threaded orificewithin which the Depending from: the clamp 13 and adjustably positioned with relation thereto is a link 11. The link 11 is rotatable about a vertical raxis and may be secured in any adjusted position thereof` by means of the wing nut 18. Laterally extending from the link 11 are a pair of measuring cham.- ber engaging clamps 19 and 88. 'I'hese clamps are adapted to detachably engage the enlarged portion 18 of the measuring chamber I4 when the screws 8| and 82 are manipulated. The inner ends of the clamps 19 and 80 are, of course, secured to the link 11.

It may thus be seen that the measuring chamber I 4, the control I1 and the clamp 13 together with the parts associated therewith are movable as a unit vertically along the pole portions 23 and 24. y

Turning now to the valving mechanism the same comprises a. main cylinder 84 and a piston By manipulation of the wing nuts 84, 65

measuring chamber connector 80, a reservoir inlet 8| and a valve outlet 92. The cylinder 84 may be formed either of metal of a character not affected by the fluids with which the machine is to be used or may be composed of glass. The cylinder 84 is provided at one end thereof with a, valve washer 83 which together with the closure member 90 prevents any leakage of the fluid out of that end of the cylinder 84. The measuring chamber connector 88 may be in the form of a tubular extension extending upwardly from the cylinder 84 and integral therewith. The c onnector 98 is coupled to the neck 69 by means of a resilient tube coupler 95. The reservoir inlet 9| may be in the form of a curved tubular eX- tension extending upwardly from the lower portion of the cylinder 84 and integral therewith. The reservoir inlet 9| is connected to the reservoir outlet 58 by means of the reservoir conduit I3 and the resilient tube couplers 96 and 91. The valve outlet 92 may be in the form of a tubular extension extending downwardly from the lower portion of the cylinder 84 and integral therewith. The valve outlet 92 is coupled to the ampoule injector S8 by means of a resilient tube coupler 99. The injector 98 may be in the form of a hypodermic type needle or other tube of small bore and diameter having an enlarged upper end I 88.

The cylinder 84 is maintained in position by means of the clamps |8| and |02. The clamps |0| and |02 are actuated by means of screws |03. The lower ends of the screws |33 engage the supports |84 which extend forwardly and horizontally from the upper portion of the frame base 22. The supports |84 are maintained securelyvin position'by the uns I 05 which are integral therewith and the base 22.V The inner forward portions of the clamps |0| and |82 present concave surfaces toward the cylinder 84, and this is also true of the upper forward surfaces of the supports |04. The cylinder 84, as previously stated, has disposed within the horizontally disposed bore thereof the piston 85. The piston may be composed either of metal which is not affected by the material being dispensed by the device, or of glass and is adapted for horizontal reciprocation within the cylinder 84. The piston 85 is provided with a pair of oppositely arranged angularly disposed channels, a measuring chamber filling channel |01 and a measuring chamber emptying channel |08. .The left endof the piston 85 is provided with a hook member |89 and with a fixed flange I|0 in the form of a washer secured to the piston, Disposed between the left end of the cylinder 84 and the ange I0 is a spiral expansive spring |I| and a resilient faced washer H2. The action of the spring HI is to maintain the piston 85 in the position shown in Figure 2, that is, the position in which the channel |81 forms a passage from the reservoir inlet 9| to the measuring chamber connector 9i).

The piston 85 is moved to the ampoule filling position thereof as indicated in Figure 5 by pedal pressure upon the valving mechanism control I8. The pressure Vplate II 4 is vertically adjustable along the rod l5. Thus, as seen in Figure 1, pressure to the left upon the plate ||4 by means of the bell crank structure 81 will move the link 86 to the right thus pushing the piston 8-5 to the position shown in Figure 5. The link 85 is provided with a pin |28 which detachably engages the hook member |88 so that by merely lifting the link 86 about the pivot I2 I, the valving mechanism control I8 becomes pivotally detached from the piston so that the same may be pulled out of the cylinder. The movement of the piston to the right is controlled by the upper arm of the bell crank 81 striking against the valve regular 88 which is in the form of a screw having a. lock nut therefor. The bell crank journal 89 is provided with a bracket |22 for suitably securing the same to the upper surface of the table or supporting surface 2|. The two positions of the piston are thus controlled in the measuring chamber lling position by the regulator 88 and by the measuring chamber emptying position by the l spring |II and the action of gravity upon the rod I|5 and the pressurev plate H4. The angular relation of the rod H5 and the arm |23 (the two principal components of the bell crank 81) may be either fixed and non-adjustable, ormay be of two piece construction so that said angular relationship may be adjusted.

Operation One mode of operation of the device is` substantially as follows:

The reservoir I I with the valve 59 in the closed position thereof is filled with the desired material to be dispensed and is secured in position by means of the reservoir support clamp 60. The outlet 58 is connected to the reservoir inlet port of the valving mechanism I6 by means of the couplers 9'6 and 91 and the tube or conduit I3. The measuring chamber is connected to the measuring chamber connector 90 by means of the coupler 95 and the ampoule injector `98 is connected to the valve outlet by means of the coupler 99. The valve mechanism is adjusted so that the piston takes the position shown in Figure 2. This adjustment may be accomplished by an adjustment of the bell crank or by an a-djustment in the expanserforce of the spring |`II. The valve or pet-cock 59 is moved to the open position thereof and the fluid in the reservoir will pass downwardly through the coupler 91, the conduit I3, the coupler 9'I,'the inlet 9|', the channel |01, the measuring chamber connector `90, the coupler 95, the neck 69 and will compress air below the lower surface of the piston 1|. The control I 'I is rotated to a very much elevated position so that the piston 'II rises to a point whereby the air imprisoned therebeneath may escape to the atmosphere as soon as the liquidl starts to iiow into the upper entrance of the bore 61. The control I'I is lowered to any desired position depending upon the amount of liquid it is desired that the device shall dispense with one reciprocation of the piston 85. This adjustment of the' regulator may be accomplished either by lling test containers of known measure or by Calibrating the measuring chamber I4 with graduation.

, Pressure upon the pressure plate I I4, preferably by the knee of the operator, who may work in a seated position, will move the piston v85 to the right until the channel |08 permits the liquid in the measuring chamber to flowdownwardly into The proper centering the ampoule injector 98. of the channel |08 so as to permit an unobstructed passage therethrough is effected by the adjustment of the valve regulator 88. The filling of the ampoules generally indicated by numeral |50 thus becomes a very simple matter which may be performed with considerable rapidity. In actual tests with a model of the present device during an ordinary working day between six and seven thousand ampoules have been accurately |20 and the link 86 are readily disconnected from the piston so that all of the parts in the valving mechanism IB may also be sterilized. The flexible couplers may be composed of natural or articial rubber tubing and they may either be sterilized or replaced as desired.

It may thus be seen that I have disclosed the construction of la novel and useful ampoule lling apparatus suitable for filling ampoules, vials, bottles and other containers which is extremely simple in construction, convenient and accurate both in use and in maintenance since individual parts, if broken, may be readily replaced and all of the parts may be separately sterilized.

I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the exact details of construction shown and described for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. A receptacle filling device comprising: a valve body having an elongated bore of uniform cross section throughout; a valve member of matching cross section closely fitting said bore throughout its length, and slidable longitudinally within said bore; a discharge outlet in communication with said valve body; a liquid 'measuring chamber in communication with said valve body; a reservoir located at a level higher than the level of said valve body in communication with said valve body; passageway means in said valve member for selectively connecting said reservoir to said measuring chamber, and said measuring chamber t0 said loutlet upon rectilinear reciprocation of said valve body; and means manually operable to impart a movement solely of rectilinear reciprocation to said valve body.

2. A receptacle filling device comprising: a valve body having an elongated bore of uniform cross section throughout; a valve member of matching cross section closely tting said bore throughout its length, and slidable longitudinally within said bore; an inlet port extending to and in communication with said bore; means placing said inlet-port in communication with a reservoir located at a level higherL than the level of said valve body; a rst transverse passage in said valve member inclined with respect to the center line thereof; a second port in said valve body opposite said first-named port; a liquid measuring chamber in communication with said secondnamed port; a third port oppositely disposed in said valve body with respect to said secondnamed port and adjacent said first-named port; a second transverse passage inclined with respect to the center line of said valve member by an amount equal to the inclination of said firstnamed passageway but in the opposite direction; a discharge port spaced from said inlet port by an amount less than the spacing of the more widely spaced ends of said passageways; and means manually operable to impart a movement solely of reciprocation to said valve body.

JOHN TORIGIAN. 

